Keeping warm at -6C?

[Poita]

Okay, so I was out last night to play with the hyperstar, and it got down to -6 last time I checked, the scope cap and everything exposed was covered in a layer of ice, and one was forming on me.

What do you folks do to keep warm in these situations?

Interestingly, the home-made dew-shield made from a camping mat kept the corrector plate completely dew free all night, I think the fan on the QHY8 coupled with the thick dew-shield helps keep slightly warmed air flowing over the front of the scope.

[DavidTrap]

CCD Commander.

DT

[Terry B]

Ski pants, thermal undies, Ski jacket, balaclava, beanie, scarf and gloves.
It was only 0 deg in my observatory when I got called to work last night at 11pm. It was -5 further down the hill according to my car so the observatory was comparatively tropical.:P

[Outbackmanyep]

What Terry said.....and the more you do it the more you get used to it!
I don't use gloves anymore as it hinders button pushing, if you have a nice Drizabone with wool lining it keeps any cold breezes out, as for toes.....i'm still working on that one!
Tried 2 and 3 pairs of socks, i usually wear 2, cotton socks keep my toes dry and wool ones over the top keep everything warm, for a while.....
I finished up last night, it got to 0 degrees on my thermometer, but i have been out in -6 temps before and fingers felt like cold steel!

[Octane]

Freezer suit.

I don't know how I lived without one before.

Talk to GTB Owl, he'll sort you out.

H

[DavidTrap]

How uncivilized! Impatient baby? Hope you got a chance to change before going in. I saw the sunrise from work last Thursday - still getting over that!

DT

[BPO]

How did you measure that temperature? Was it with a calibrated thermometer or sensor within a Stevenson screen? Also, what was the RH at the time?

My mountaintop site routinely experiences low temperatures (-10 to -20 average winter) but the RH is also very low, so the cold is quite bearable, so long as one is properly dressed for it.

[Poita]

I have a stevenson screen/box about 3 metres from where the scope is setup that I use to record temps, I didn't check the humidity but everything was soaked early in the night and then covered in ice a few hours later, including the cat who eventually gave up on me when he ended up with a frost coating.

jjj put me onto electric socks, which are the best thing I have ever owned, but my legs and hands cop it.

I have a shed about 10ft from where I setup the scope, and it has power, I guess I should clean it up and move the computer in there and hide-out.

[Barrykgerdes]

Most of the diehards at Wiruna, that regularly goes below freezing especially clear nights, use freezer suits and operate all night. At least the humidity is usually low so frost is not a severe problem.

Barry

[originaltrilogy]

Where can you buy freezer suit? sound like a good investment.

[Nico13]

For an all nighter I use my motor bike cold weather gear with the thermals underneath, Dry Rider jacket and pants :thumbsup:

[gary]

As H mentioned, Geoff Byrnes (aka GTB_an_Owl) was regularly appearing at
star parties here in NSW supplying them but I don't recollect seeing him
at the SPSP this year. Geoff lives at Terrigal and has an online store -

http://www.gtbastrowise.com.au/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=category&task=listing&cid=10&name=freezer-wear&Itemid=54

The freezer suits Geoff supplies are from Hepworths Industrial Wear out at Ingleburn.
Years ago before Geoff came up with the convenience of supplying them at star parties
and online, many of us would simply drive out to the Hepworths' factory where they
were happy to make a counter sale.
http://www.hepworths.com.au/

The one piece freezer suits offers the best thermal performance but woman
may prefer the convenience of the two piece suits.

When people are donning suits in freezing temperatures at Wiruna, many will
admit to wearing nothing but regular non-thermal underwear and a short sleeve
t-shirt underneath. They really are that effective at keeping you warm.

The freezer suits are designed for workers who spend all day working in
cold room stores such as those used for packing frozen meat.

You should compliment them with a good pair of boots, gloves and suitable
head wear.

We've been using them for a decade and I noted at the SPSP that when
others who are rugged up with multiple layers complain of the cold, the freezer
suit wearers say they are toasty warm and sometimes have to lower the front
zip to regulate their temperature.

What is also really good about them is that they are one piece of clothing,
so unlike dressing in multiple layers, they are very quick to don and duff.

Plus they have super sized pockets which are handy to drop a big 2" eyepiece in
as you are swapping eyepieces.

[Baddad]

Hi Peter,

I'm just North of Brisbane. Never seen ice on a scope. I don't put it in the freezer. :lol::lol:

The freezer suits are great.

Cheers

[Octane]

I can't speak highly enough of the Hepworths freezer suits. Probably the single most important purchase I've ever made.

They're very affordable, too.

H

[erick]

Sub-zero is good. Instead of dew running all over the place and dripping, it all stops moving. Excellent! But dew heaters are essential.

[Poita]

I've never had to use a dew heater with the Hyperstar and QHY8 as long as I've had a thick and long dew shield the slightly heated air from the camera seems to keep it at bay nicely.

When imaging with just the SCT and no hyperstar, I easily get a couple of hours without issues when using just the camp-mat dew-shield, it protrudes a long way past the end of the OTA.

Without a dewshield I get about 15 minutes in winter before the corrector fogs over.

I'll look into the freezer suits, thanks for the link. I had a snow-suit/ski-suit I bought 2nd hand that is fantastic, but it is a bit uncomfortable for extended wear.

[peter_4059]

+1 for the Hepworths freezer suit. I bought one a couple of months ago and it makes a huge difference.

[sheeny]

Layering is the key. My typical layers in order in increasing severity are:

Beanie.
Throat coat (or scarf).
Thermals.
Normal clothes.
Windstopper jacket.
Fingerless wool gloves.
Freezer boots.
Freezer jacket.
Freezer trousers.
Ski gloves.

Only rarely needed to go the whole hog whe I used to be outside observing in Oberon winter. With the obs, the most severe I've got is the freezer jacket.

Al.

[baileys2611]

Does anyone use an outdoor gas bbq heater?

[sheeny]

I doubt it. The heater will produce a thermal which is not good for seeing.

:)

Al.

[Terry B]

Yes it was a baby. It didn't come out thought until 8am this morning. Very tardy but healthy mum and bub.:)

I'm not quite that anal.
I just have an electronic thermometer in the observatory. It gets some heat from the computers so probably isn't perfect. Just an estimate.
As for the car themometer. I have know idea how accurate they are. I'm not getting out of the car to check.:shrug:

[jjjnettie]

We get sub zero temps for a couple of weeks here, west of Brissie.
Layering is best.
I made myself a set of polar fleece long johns. Made extra long to cover the ankles and half my hands.
Water proof ski pants
Water proof hooded jacket lined with polar fleece.
An over sized mans knitted jumper
2 pair of socks, first pair on are cotton.
Snow boots, mine are rated down to -15
Around my neck I wear, again home made, a double thickness , polar fleece neck muffler. It can be pulled up above my ears
On my head is a fleece lined knitted beanie with ear flaps.
Most important though is to keep moving. Take a stroll around the yard, keep the blood circulating.
Oh, and my latest purchase is a pair of USB heated gloves. I also have powered heat pads that I can slip into my shoes. They both can run off a separate power pack so I'm not tethered to the computer. But I'm an imager, I'm tethered to it anyway. LOLOL

[multiweb]

For yourself: vodka works well.
For the scope: the corrector won't fog up if you have a long dewshield that also encase the hyperstar and the QHY8 unless you're imaging right at the zenith then you need a dew heater around the corrector cell. The QHY8 will heat up the front of the corrector.

[erick]

If only they came without the reflective panels. I like to vanish into the dark.

[kustard]

Yeah get yourself a Hepworths freezer suit, they are the bees knees :)

[RB]

I bought all four freezer suits and a vest from Geoff (GTB_an_Owl).
Two suits for my sons, one for me, a jacket only for me and a vest for me.
We use them on the farm all the time and of course when I'm doing important astro work. :lol:

Geoff's great to deal with and I also buy my license for ESET Smart Security from him every two years, he's an agent and put me onto it.
Very happy with his service and advice.

:thumbsup:

[cfranks]

I have some of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZIPPO-HAND-WARMER-NEW-DELUXE-SET-WITH-ALL-ACCESSORIES-/390444167248?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae8493050 I use 2 or more at a time, depending on how cold I am. Properly filled they last me all night.
Charles